Decided to take the Pope's advice and go shoe shopping. Those of you who think that my cousin Laura really spoke to the Pope & his advice was to go shoe shopping really need to get to church a bit more often. (& you know who you are, so I won't name names).
Lisa & I spend the day chilling, my first one since I got the news. We head to DSW, and while shopping I got a call from Dr. Zellers The radiologist. The biopsy they did on the second lump on Thursday came back BENIGN! Yay some really good news, he called me at 6:45pm, wanted me to have the news before the start of the weekend so i did not have to wait & worry anymore. I love that man.
Looks like the Popes advice worked, so far all I bought was 1 pair of shoes & 1 lump is benign, wonder what would happen if I bought a whole bunch?????
Enjoy your weekend, I know I will.
xoxo
Friday, May 27, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Bionic Boobs May 26th
Me being wheeled out (lovely)
Another test.....Today they did another MRI, this time it was a MRI Guided biopsy (bbibobibobsy).
What does that mean? It means Big MRI machine, me face down on the table with my boobs in these cups, dangling so that the MRI can scan and see what the Mammogram and the ultra sound can not. Why? Well it seems that the last MRI picked up 2 more lumps behind the large lump but they can not get a clear view on another x ray to biopsy them to see if they are cancerous. Turns out only one of the two is important the other just like a small friend tagging along and they wouldn't be able to get enough cells from anyway.
Here's how it goes.....Arrive 7:30am registration, take a number. (mom says get turkey & cheese when they call you) all the sudden she wants to be a comedian. Same paperwork same questions.
Ms. Petittto ( yea no one seems to get the name right) Let me help you Ped -eat-toe.
Good thing I don't have my full name on the papers Tonilyn ( that's usually Tonellyn?)
Where was I?.....Oh yea the process.
Here's the changing room, one gown on in the front and one gown on in the back. and don't forget the cool grippy socks ( this time I took brown instead of blue)
Wait here, Stephanie gets thrown out because as always I bring an Entourage, and she pretends to go the back way down to her office only to come back up 10 minutes later.
Nurse comes to put in an IV they need to put the dye in again to pin point where the lump that has not been biopsied is.
Oh nothing to eat or drink that day yet either. ( so empty stomach)
Back to the waiting room...Dr. Sharp shes a Fellow(ship)- comes in to explain the procedure. Once they find the lump take the cells they need they will put in another clip to identify it for future use if needed. (Stephanie said I'm like a Pandora charm bracelet i have different charms now in my boobs)
Then they give me the happy pill Xanax because they need me almost out for this i can not move or it will mess the whole thing up.
Cool I'm tired anyway.
They take me in lay flat on my stomach, put the boobs in the cups, and then they say we need to grip the right one so it doesn't move tell us when it becomes to much? Yea OK its too much!
Its freezing in there, they add blankets to me to keep me warm, I get put into the machine they start the scan i think I fall a sleep cause i don't remember that. Now the good part.
Pull me out of the machine & from the graph that shows on the screen where the lump is they numb the outer area, that I feel the bee sting thing again. Then they go in with the biopsy needle now i feel that ( sorry for those of you with weak stomachs) but it feels like someone is digging around inside the center of my breast with a NEEDLE!
Now I'm awake, i feel light headed, They are talking to me the whole time, and i say I'm going to pass out, Nurse- Dr. stop shes said she passing out. Me- I'm going to get sick. They put a bowl under my face, I'm still facing down on the table and the boob is still in the grip. So i can't really move. I only dry heave because I haven't eaten (guess that's why they say don't' eat).
Break out into cold sweats now they have removed all covers and have ice packs all over me.
The Dr. comes over and says we are going to just put the clip in & have them do it by ultra sound another time.
I start to come around & am feeling better, I say no finish it now I do not want to come back for more tests.
So they do. Reason it hurt so bad my boobs are so dense that I bent the needle! First time they have ever seen that happen. Jamie Sommers ain't got nothing on me.:)
Oh Joe wasn't there for most of this because he needed to take my papers to meet the women from the BOSS clinic & got to see the big Jesus statue in the old part of the hospital. I'll post a photo soon.
Next test- Thursday June 2nd- 8am- meet w/melanoma Oncologist, 10:30AM to the BOSS Clinic(breast & ovarian Surveillance Service) for Genetic testing.
xoxo
Pictures & Editor corrections
The Vatican
Ribbon Mural
XOXO
Me & Stephanie in Mamo Area she is very uncomfortable that we are touching
Mary Capano Nurse Navigator
Ribbon MuralI am re-attaching the pictures, Joe told me they are way to small & no one can appreciate the one of the Vatican.
Also I was told I had an error in writing that I said I will be having radiology instead of radiation? ( Jessica did you not read the disclaimer in the beginning no judging on the spelling or grammar?)
When I said I was going to ask for a vote on whether or not i should go new boobs & tummy tuck, I want you all to know that was a joke & never meant to offend anyone.( Joe's sense of humor must be rubbing off after 7 years. Do you really think I am going to let all of you make that decision for me????? Its not a vote for the next American idol. I mean I love you all, but really :)
and lastly when I said that Father Frank sent a message to St. Jude, I was completely in correct he happens to be in Rome & went to St. Jude's grave to pray. Yup that's huge!
XOXO
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Prayers
I want to Thank everyone for all the prayers that are being sent. It truly means a lot. My friend Jessica wants to start a map of the country as it seems they are coming from all over the world.
Let see it started with mom who sent her request to St. Jude Shrine. This was before we knew that Gina told Gabe to contact his brother Father Frank who is a big shot with St. Jude shrine.
Then my friend Stephanie D. Joe's cousin Rob's wife, has a real connection with Padre Pio, she sent me some very uplifting words and info on him.
Jessica had her cousin Scott ( who's Jewish) going into a church in Amsterdam!
Jessica also has her sister-in-law who lives in N.C. contact her friend who contacted a big time prayer group who put me on their prayer chain.
Joe works with an amazing, person & one of the most caring people i have ever met Joe S, who went down to the Pink Nuns (They pray for women w/ breast cancer) in Philly to have them Pray from me. Sniff.....
My mom has a friend who lives in Warren County NJ & is very close to the Archbishop who has now added me to the peps to pray for at Sunday mass
This morning my Cousin Laura sent me a picture of the Vatican and said she spoke to the Pope? Now apparently the Popes answer was that I needed to buy Lots of shoes & that would help, she said she wasn't going to argue with him after all he is The Pope!
I know i have lots more prayers out there from everyone & really really appreciate all of them.
I am attaching some photos as well. One is Mary Capano (my angel), One is the ribbon mural in The Avon breast center. & The other is the Vatican, cause its cool.
xoxo
Oh & lastly some of you are having a hard time leaving comments, its should work now, I changed some settings & noticed you can leave it under anonymous that should work. If not email mail & I'll post it for you.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Monday May 23rd, Meet the Surgeonsssss
Arrive at Hopkins 1:oo appt. is 2:00pm. Check in, answer a questionnaire, & in 15 minutes they take us back, Its me, Mom, & Stephanie, Joe's going to wait a bit, he's hungry and going to eat something.
They weigh me, take my blood pressure and go to take my temperature,(I have a piece of gum in my mouth & take it out to hand to my mom but Steph says here, lucky mom See's its my gum & says NO Stephanie its her gum.) That would have been really bad for her. Here we are again laughing, Then the nurse says when he's done eating do you want me to bring your dad back too!OMG, no that's my fiancee, I do not look that young & he surely does not look that old. But to us we crack up & now they can't get us in the room fast enough.
Meet The Doctors.
First- Joni she is a resident, she asks all the same questions, did you find the lump, asks about my health, family history, do you mind if I take a look. Nope go right a head, they've all seen them.
Second- Dr.Tsingaris (the surgeon) comes in, he brings, Lilly(she is a 20 year survivor) & works for the breast center also wrote 2 books she gave me to read.) a student volunteer, (young kid felt bad for her I think she saw way more then she wanted. & Joni again.
So there are 8 of us in this tiny room.
Dr.T asks these same questions, but tells me my options. Long story short- He feels i do not need a mastectomy, they will do another MRI on Thursday, this is more of a surgery biopsy to take cells from the 2 lumps behind the big one they can't see them any other way but through MRI. His feeling no mastectomy at this time He thinks I have nice boobs, I say if i want it is it my choice, he say yes at the end of the day it is. But i have time to think on that.
I was inundated with info from him, but the bottom line is I have 1 lump that's definitely cancer but its small & 1 lymp node that is also cancer, the cancer is estrogen receptive which is apparently good they all kind of cheered when they heard that. and stage 2. Once they get the results from the MRI on Thursday and go in to remove more they will know more.
OK breath,
Lilly now gives a presentation on a double mastectomy with Reconstruction, ( we see her boobs) joe has to leave for this. and she explains alot, plus the books and more information to read. She was sooo nice,
Dr. #3- Dr. Adams Resident radiologist, Asks all the same questions, again.
Only funny part was he said alcohol- i said yes. What was that the wrong answer?
The he does an exam as well. Oh i should note the room only has 3 chairs moms, in one Joe's in one & the Dr's all sit in one so Steph gets to stand next to me and she can see my lovely boobs every time they remove the gown. Lucky her:).
Dr.#4- Dr. Zellers Adam's boss, They are radiology oncologist, they explain the options of mastectomy over lumpectomy with radiology etc.... again its a lot to take in. but either way i will have radiology & chemo due to the fact that it is in the nodes. its just the boob removal that's up in the air.
Dr.#5- Dr.Sack Plastic surgeon, & Laura his RN- again the questions, again he gets to cop a feel. But he has a different reason, here's the cool part, I can have new boobs by taking the fat from belly and placing into the breast being re-constructed and if we save the one he can fix it to look symmetrical. so now what to do? Boob job and tummy tuck all in one shot!
The only down fall is the incision for the tummy flap would go over my lizard tattoo and he would have to decapitate the lizards head. oh well, tummy tuck & new boobs wins.
Next step after MRI is gene testing. If i have the cancer gene both boobs need to go, I do not want to chance this ever coming back again.
So MRI, Gene test then answers. They are saying I have had this lump for about 3-5 years its slow mover. So i have a little time to figure things out. They say surgery could be in about 3-4 weeks.
Please post your thoughts i wanted to take a poll but Joe got upset with that idea. So just some input on lumpectomy or mastectomy?
Thanks again for all the prays thoughts & texts.
xoxox
They weigh me, take my blood pressure and go to take my temperature,(I have a piece of gum in my mouth & take it out to hand to my mom but Steph says here, lucky mom See's its my gum & says NO Stephanie its her gum.) That would have been really bad for her. Here we are again laughing, Then the nurse says when he's done eating do you want me to bring your dad back too!OMG, no that's my fiancee, I do not look that young & he surely does not look that old. But to us we crack up & now they can't get us in the room fast enough.
Meet The Doctors.
First- Joni she is a resident, she asks all the same questions, did you find the lump, asks about my health, family history, do you mind if I take a look. Nope go right a head, they've all seen them.
Second- Dr.Tsingaris (the surgeon) comes in, he brings, Lilly(she is a 20 year survivor) & works for the breast center also wrote 2 books she gave me to read.) a student volunteer, (young kid felt bad for her I think she saw way more then she wanted. & Joni again.
So there are 8 of us in this tiny room.
Dr.T asks these same questions, but tells me my options. Long story short- He feels i do not need a mastectomy, they will do another MRI on Thursday, this is more of a surgery biopsy to take cells from the 2 lumps behind the big one they can't see them any other way but through MRI. His feeling no mastectomy at this time He thinks I have nice boobs, I say if i want it is it my choice, he say yes at the end of the day it is. But i have time to think on that.
I was inundated with info from him, but the bottom line is I have 1 lump that's definitely cancer but its small & 1 lymp node that is also cancer, the cancer is estrogen receptive which is apparently good they all kind of cheered when they heard that. and stage 2. Once they get the results from the MRI on Thursday and go in to remove more they will know more.
OK breath,
Lilly now gives a presentation on a double mastectomy with Reconstruction, ( we see her boobs) joe has to leave for this. and she explains alot, plus the books and more information to read. She was sooo nice,
Dr. #3- Dr. Adams Resident radiologist, Asks all the same questions, again.
Only funny part was he said alcohol- i said yes. What was that the wrong answer?
The he does an exam as well. Oh i should note the room only has 3 chairs moms, in one Joe's in one & the Dr's all sit in one so Steph gets to stand next to me and she can see my lovely boobs every time they remove the gown. Lucky her:).
Dr.#4- Dr. Zellers Adam's boss, They are radiology oncologist, they explain the options of mastectomy over lumpectomy with radiology etc.... again its a lot to take in. but either way i will have radiology & chemo due to the fact that it is in the nodes. its just the boob removal that's up in the air.
Dr.#5- Dr.Sack Plastic surgeon, & Laura his RN- again the questions, again he gets to cop a feel. But he has a different reason, here's the cool part, I can have new boobs by taking the fat from belly and placing into the breast being re-constructed and if we save the one he can fix it to look symmetrical. so now what to do? Boob job and tummy tuck all in one shot!
The only down fall is the incision for the tummy flap would go over my lizard tattoo and he would have to decapitate the lizards head. oh well, tummy tuck & new boobs wins.
Next step after MRI is gene testing. If i have the cancer gene both boobs need to go, I do not want to chance this ever coming back again.
So MRI, Gene test then answers. They are saying I have had this lump for about 3-5 years its slow mover. So i have a little time to figure things out. They say surgery could be in about 3-4 weeks.
Please post your thoughts i wanted to take a poll but Joe got upset with that idea. So just some input on lumpectomy or mastectomy?
Thanks again for all the prays thoughts & texts.
xoxox
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Friday May 20th
Up very early 5:30 am, we have to leave by 6:30 to get there by 7:30.
Same routine.
Ms. Peditto, This time the nurse is Joyce. Again very nice.
Stephanie was in Rochester NY the last 2 days and is flying in that AM comes right to hospital, to be there and again see more strange boobs.
More pictures in the mammogram machine ( we call it the vice grip). Dr.K, Dr. Wu & Joyce all holding on to the boobs trying to get the right angel and good pictures.
Into the ultra sound room I go again. This time they bring in Mom & Stephanie, and they get to stay so they can see the ultra sound.
But when told they can stay, Mom says can we stand up to see? Dr. K -No. Mom well can I at least go..... Me- Mom sit down!
Dr.K leaves tells us some more stuff, The nodes have cancer, the main lump-cancer. They are not sure about the small ones behind the main one but they need to be removed anyway. If your keeping count that's 6 that need to be removed.
Dr.Tsangaris ( he's Greek, i hope he's not going to use Windex to fix this) is going to be my Surgeon. He is the chief of Breast surgery. Yup he's the big Guy!
Dr.K is going to insert a clip into the breast where the main lump is. Kim is back in she shows us what the clip looks like, Its in the shape of a breast cancer ribbon. This is so they can find the lump in surgery.
Once that is done back to the vice grip, more pics to see the clip. Dr.K has a plan...he comes behind me lifts both my boobs up & places them flat on the machine while squeezing them together as Joyce clamps down the machine. OUCH! Hold your breath ( what other choice do I have?) That's it that's the one they are looking for. Finally all done.
Well for today.
Monday is meet the surgeon day & find out when another MRI will be and get more answers.
Until Monday May 23rd..........xoxo
Same routine.
Ms. Peditto, This time the nurse is Joyce. Again very nice.
Stephanie was in Rochester NY the last 2 days and is flying in that AM comes right to hospital, to be there and again see more strange boobs.
More pictures in the mammogram machine ( we call it the vice grip). Dr.K, Dr. Wu & Joyce all holding on to the boobs trying to get the right angel and good pictures.
Into the ultra sound room I go again. This time they bring in Mom & Stephanie, and they get to stay so they can see the ultra sound.
But when told they can stay, Mom says can we stand up to see? Dr. K -No. Mom well can I at least go..... Me- Mom sit down!
Dr.K leaves tells us some more stuff, The nodes have cancer, the main lump-cancer. They are not sure about the small ones behind the main one but they need to be removed anyway. If your keeping count that's 6 that need to be removed.
Dr.Tsangaris ( he's Greek, i hope he's not going to use Windex to fix this) is going to be my Surgeon. He is the chief of Breast surgery. Yup he's the big Guy!
Dr.K is going to insert a clip into the breast where the main lump is. Kim is back in she shows us what the clip looks like, Its in the shape of a breast cancer ribbon. This is so they can find the lump in surgery.
Once that is done back to the vice grip, more pics to see the clip. Dr.K has a plan...he comes behind me lifts both my boobs up & places them flat on the machine while squeezing them together as Joyce clamps down the machine. OUCH! Hold your breath ( what other choice do I have?) That's it that's the one they are looking for. Finally all done.
Well for today.
Monday is meet the surgeon day & find out when another MRI will be and get more answers.
Until Monday May 23rd..........xoxo
Thursday May 19th
I'm home & of course today is a big event downtown and we expected to be very busy at the store. Mom opens at 9 am early and people follow her in at 8:20am.
She doesn't call me because she wants me to sleep in. She's able to handle it. I'm impressed.
At 9"30 Dr.K calls me as he said he would. He has the results of the biopsy of the main lump. Yup its cancer. He asks can you come in today? Huh? I'm in NJ, OH I thought you where staying in town? We did then can home. OK, are you bruised? Ahhh yes, you stuck 5 needles in me 2 days ago and took some flesh. Come in at 8am Friday then, I need more pictures and I'm going to hurt you. Yay, that's awesome.:(
Get to the store at 10:30, its mobbed.
My phone does not stop ringing. Now the MRI nurse calls they see 2 lumps behind the main one. She is going to send the results to Dr.k so he has them for Friday.
That day I got a surprise visit from an amazing person. Who I now consider a friend, ( i was friends with his wife first). Gabe D. Comes in he is a fellow cancer survivor. He is here to tell me all that the Dr.'s won't and just share some insight. Wow, i was confident before that i am going to beat this, but now damn Skippy, I am.
His oldest brother is a priest Father Frank, he happens to be in Rome but has big ties to the
St. Jude shrine in Baltimore, (one of our favorite places) so Gabe emailed Father Frank who apparently emailed back & said he is on it! Now that's calling in a favor.
Mom and I leave that night to go The MD Peditto's which turns out that fits, (Stephanie is a Dr. or works with them & Paul had a MD shirt on for the DNR the other day.)
She doesn't call me because she wants me to sleep in. She's able to handle it. I'm impressed.
At 9"30 Dr.K calls me as he said he would. He has the results of the biopsy of the main lump. Yup its cancer. He asks can you come in today? Huh? I'm in NJ, OH I thought you where staying in town? We did then can home. OK, are you bruised? Ahhh yes, you stuck 5 needles in me 2 days ago and took some flesh. Come in at 8am Friday then, I need more pictures and I'm going to hurt you. Yay, that's awesome.:(
Get to the store at 10:30, its mobbed.
My phone does not stop ringing. Now the MRI nurse calls they see 2 lumps behind the main one. She is going to send the results to Dr.k so he has them for Friday.
That day I got a surprise visit from an amazing person. Who I now consider a friend, ( i was friends with his wife first). Gabe D. Comes in he is a fellow cancer survivor. He is here to tell me all that the Dr.'s won't and just share some insight. Wow, i was confident before that i am going to beat this, but now damn Skippy, I am.
His oldest brother is a priest Father Frank, he happens to be in Rome but has big ties to the
St. Jude shrine in Baltimore, (one of our favorite places) so Gabe emailed Father Frank who apparently emailed back & said he is on it! Now that's calling in a favor.
Mom and I leave that night to go The MD Peditto's which turns out that fits, (Stephanie is a Dr. or works with them & Paul had a MD shirt on for the DNR the other day.)
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